Portable lawn raking devices

ABSTRACT

A tractor drawn wheel supported housing having sides, a front and a bottom and open at the top and back, a closure for the housing having a rear wall structure and an upper wall structure connected together and closing the open top and back of the housing and hingedly connected to the side walls at the upper and rearward portions of the same, said housing having an arcuate bottom along which the outer end of the upper wall structure travels to eject the matter collected in the receiving compartment of the housing and a rotary rake at the forward portion of the housing directing the matter picked up through an opening between the bottom and top of the housing into the receiving compartment of the housing. Closure operating means serves to move the closure from closing position to ejecting position. Applicant&#39;&#39;s device is extremely simple in construction and can be manually operated and dumped by the operator while seated on the seat of a power driven garden tractor, by which it is hauled.

United States Patent Stanke 51 July 25, 1972 [54] PORTABLE LAWN RAKING DEVICES Primary Examiner-Russell R. Kinsey [72] Inventor. Rudi G. Stnnlte, Minneapolis, Minn. Atmmey Mcx Lagaard [73] Assignee: Johnson Hydraulic Equipment Co., Minneapolis, Minn. ABSTRACT [22] Filed: Aug. 9, 197i A tractor drawn wheel supported housing having sides. a front and abottom and open at the top and back, a closure for the PP N03 housing having a rear wall structure and an upper wall structure connected together and closing the open top and back of [52] U 5 Cl 56/134 56/364 56/205 the housing and hingedly connected to the side walls at the 15/79 upper and rearward portions of the same, said housing having [51] In. A" 51/00 an arcuate bottom along which the outer end of the upper wall 58 new 202 205 structure travels to eject the matter collected in the receiving l m l 6 compartment of the housing and a rotary rake at the forward I portion of the housing directing the matter picked up through an opening between the bottom and top of the housing into [56] Reknnces Cited the receiving compartment of the housing. Closure operating UNITED STATES PATENTS means serves to move the closure from closing position to ejecting position. g i Applicant's device is extremely simple in construction and can 6 l 9 6 2 er be manually operated and dumped by the operator while 3 1 8 1 2 C ;5 seated on the seat of a power driven garden tractor, by which u it is hauled. 3,308,612 3/1967 Oblinger.... 56115.9 3,545,187 12/1970 Whitney ..56/l6 7 SCInlrm, 4 Drawing Figures I43 I53 W In 47 mo s2 8 54 1 0 I 55 93 9s 5 I56 '8: I04 96 I03 33 97 I02 I05 22 s 77 98 I24 l7 54 m 132 it m J" I 32 12 1| It! A/ 64 6! 7 Patented July 25, 1972 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

FIG, 2

H8 INVENTOR.

RUDY G. STAN KE ATTORNEY FIG- I Patented July 25, 1972 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR,

RUDI G. STANKE a ATTTSRNEY PORTABLE LAWN BAKING Devices in the drawings:

H6. 1 is side elevational view of portable lawn raking device illustrating an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the structure shown in H0. 1.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2 and showing the closure in closing position in full lines and in open position in dotted lines.

P10. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the latching mechanism taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2 and drawn to a greater scale.

The invention comprises a housing A which includes a frame having spaced longitudinal frame members 11 and cross frame members 12 and 13. Attached to these frame members is a false bottom 14 and above the same is an arcuate bottom 15 sloping upwardly from the false bottom toward the front of the device. The frame 10 further includes upright frame members 16 and 17 and to which are attached top frame members 21 and 22. Attached to the frame member 11, 16, 17, 21 and 22 are sides 23. The sides 23 form a compartment 24 within the housing 10 which is open at the back and top.

For closing the compartment 24 within housing A a closure 25 is employed having a rear section 26 and a top section 27.

The rear section 26 comprises upper and lower frame members 31 and 32 and upright frame member 33. To these frame members are attached sides 34, a top 35, a bottom 36 and a back 37.

The compartment 24 in housing A narrows toward the forward portion of the arcuate bottom 15 for a purpose to be presently described. To permit of this construction the frame members 2 of the housing A are substantially horizontal and the frame member 22 slope downwardly in a forward direction. The top section 27 of closure 25 utilizes a frame 40 constructed of tubing and having longitudinal frame members 44 together with end frame members 42 and 43 and intermediate cross frame members 44 therebetween and all welded together to form a unitary construction. Welded to the frame 40 on the under side thereof is a screen 45 which allows air to pass therethrough but holds back the material to be raked. The sections 25 and 26 are braced by means of braces 48 secured to the frame members 33 and 43. The closure 25 is hingedly connected to the housing A by means of hinges 47 connected to the frame members 21 of housing A and to the frame members 31 of the rear section 27 of section 26 of closure 25. By this means the closure 25 may be swung from the position shown in full lines in FIG. 3 to that shown in dotted lines and visa versa.

Between the upper surface of bottom 14 at the forward edge thereof and the arcuate bottom 15 at its forward edge is a wall 51. From the forward frame member 43 of the top section 27 of housing A is a downwardly curved wall 52 which terminates at a cross frame member 53 secured to arcuate frame members 54. These frame members are secured to a transverse frame member 55 attached to the frame member 22 of the frame 10. Extensions 58 of the walls 23 are attached to the frame members 53, 54, and 55. By means of this construction a rake compartment 56 is provided having a throat 57 communicating with the compartment 24 in the housing proper.

The rake which is indicated in its entirety by the letter B comprises a shaft 61 which is square in cross section and which has turned cylindrical ends 62 joumalled in bearings 63 attached to the wall extensions 58. The shaft 61 has attached to it spring wire tines 64 formed with coil springs 65 adapted to yield when the tines strike a hard object and prevent breakage of the tines. Bars 66 bolted to the shaft 61 hold the tines in place. In operation the shaft 61 is driven in a counter clockwise direction and the matter picked up from the ground is discharged through the throat 57 and into the compartment 24 in the housing A.

The shaft 61 is driven by a gasoline engine 80 mounted on supporting means 81 which includes longitudinal frame members 88 and cross frame members 55 and 84. Engine 00 has a drive shaft 86 on which is mounted a pulley 87. A belt 91 passes over pulley B7 and another pulley 92 mounted on a counter shaft 93. This counter shaft is journalled in bearings 94 mounted on the longitudinal frame members 96 of a frame 95. This frame has upright frame members 98 and 99 connected to frame members 96 and resting on the frame members 55 and 84, all connected together to support the countershaft 93.

Operation of the rake B is controlled by an idler pulley, 101, mounted for rotation on an arm 102. This arm is pivoted to a bearing 106 on frame member 97 of frame 95. A link 103 is pivoted to a hand lever 104 which in turn is pivoted to a support 105 carried by frame 81. The lever 104 serves to start or stop rotation of counter shaft 93. A pawl and ratchet device 106 holds the pulley 101 in adjusted position.

The shaft 61 of rake B has mounted on the outer end of the same pulley 111. A belt 112 passes over this pulley and another pulley 113 on the countershaft 93. A belt tightener 114 engages belt 112 and provides a drive for'rake B from counter shaft 93.

The housing A is supported on two rear caster wheels 71 mounted on the false bottom 14 and by two front wheels 72. The front wheels are rotatably mounted on stub shafts 73 which are attached to arms 74 extending forwardly of the housing A. These arms are rigidly secured to a transverse shaft 75 which is journalled in bearings 76 attached to the frame 10 at the forward portion of the same. The wheels 72 can be raised and lowered relative to the housing A by means of a crank 77 attached to the end of a threaded rod 115. An arm 116 is welded to the shaft 75 and extends outwardly therefrom. The rod extends through this arm and has attached to it on opposite sides of said arm collars 117 and 118 which permit of rotational movement of the rod but restrain axial movement between said rod and arm. At the upper threaded end 121 of the rod is a nut 122 in which said end is screwed. This nut isattached to a bracket 123 attached frame 81 and restrained from vertical movement by means of a brace 124.

For drawing the device a tongue is employed which is pivotally mounted at its rear end on a shaft 133 attached to the frame member 53 and is formed at its forward end with a forked portion 131 through which an attaching pin 132 errtends.

The closure operating means is indicated by the reference numeral and includes a frame 141. This frame has two frame members 142 secured to the frame members 27, of frame 10 and two frame members 143 secured to the frame member 43 of said frame. All of these frame members extend rearwardly and upwardly and are attached at their other ends to a forked head 144 by welding or otherwise. Between the tines of this head is a lever 145 which is pivoted intermediate its ends to said head by means of a pintle 146. This lever extends more or less in an up and down direction. To the upper end of this lever is attached a cord 147 which passes through an eye 151 mounted on an upright 152 secured to frame 81. This cord has a knob 153 secured to the end of it which when the lever 145 is in the position shown in FIG. 1 butts up against the eye 151.

The lower end of the lever 145 has pivoted to it a rod 153 which extends through a spring seat 154 attached to the frame member 44 of frame 40. A compression spring 155 encircles the rod 153 below the seat 154 and engages another spring seat 156 on rod 153 which urges the parts into the position shown in FlGS. 1 and 4.

As noted in FIG. 4 a latch lug 161 is shown which is attached to the frame member 55 adjoining the frame member 43 of frame 40. This lug has a guide surface 162 and a latching surface 163. A lever 164 is pivoted at one end to a bracket 165 which is attached to frame member 43 of frame 40. The lower end of rod 153 is pivoted to the other end of lever 164. Mounted for rotation on a stud shaft 166 issuing laterally from the arm 164 near its outer end is a roller 167 which travels along the surface 162 and when it reaches the end of said surface snaps by means of spring 155 over to the surface 163 of said lug and locks the closure 25 in closing position.

The operation of the invention is as follows. In normal position the parts are as illustrated in FIG. 1. The tongue 130 is connected to a garden tractor having an operator's seat in the rear. With the belt 9i slack the gasoline engine 80 is started and upon manipulation of lever l04 shaft 61 is driven through belts 91 and "2, putting the rake B in operation. The distance of the tines 64 above the ground can be adjusted by means of crank 77 which raises and lowers the supporting wheels 72 relative to the housing A of the invention. The lawn raking device can be moved over the ground to be raked by means of the tractor by which it is drawn. During such movement matter picked up by the tines 64 of rake B are carried upwardly and rearwardly through throat 57 and into the compartment 24 of housing A. Air discharged by rake B into housing A is discharged from the same by means of the screen 45 in the top section 27 of closure 25. When the material collected is to be released from housing A, knob 153 is pulled forwardly of the device. This swings lever 145 to draw rod 140 rearwardly and disengages roller 166 from latch lug l6]. Pulling the knob 153 further causes the top section 27 of housing A to sweep along the arcuate bottom of the housing A and eject in a rearward direction the contents of said housing. Release of the knob 153 causes the closure 25 to swing downwardly and into closing position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4.

I claim:

1. A portable lawn raking device comprising:

a. a frame,

b. wheels carried by said frame for supporting the frame for forward and rearward movement,

c. a rotary rake carried by said frame,

d. adjusting means for adjusting the distance of the rotary rake above the ground,

e. a housing carried by said frame and comprising:

f. a fixed bottom and g. side walls connected thereto and forming a compartment within the housing open at the top and at the rear end thereof,

h. a closure for said housing having i. a rear wall structure and j. an upper wall structure rigidly connected to the rear wall structure,

it. pivot means between said closure in proximity to the joinder of said rear and upper wall structures and said housing at the upper and rearward portions of the side walls of the same and guiding said upper wall structure for movement along said bottom to discharge the matter collected by said rake and deposited in said compartment outwardly through the open end of the housing, and 1. means for rotating said rake. 2. A portable lawn raking device according to claim I in which a. the bottom has a curved portion along which the forward edge of the top travels and b. the curved portion has an axis substantially coaxial with the axis of the pivot means. 3. A portable lawn raking device according to claim 2 in which a. the rotary rake is located ahead of the housing and discharges over the upper edge of the curved portion of the bottom and into the compartment within the housing. 4. A portable lawn raking device according to claim 3 in which:

a. an arm extends upwardly from said top and to which b. hand operated means are connected to said arm for moving the arm forwardly and the top downwardly and rearwardly along said bottom. 5. A portable lawn raking device according to claim in which:

a. the upper wall structure when the closure is in elevated position is disposed above the forward edge of the bottom 0 form an opening therebetween and through which the matter picked up by the rake is deposited into the compartment in the body. 6. A portable lawn raking device according to the claim 1 in which:

a. the frame has forwardly extending supporting means on which b. a motor for operating the rotary rake is mounted. 7. A portable lawn raking device according to claim 6 in which:

a. the body extends below the ofi'set motor supporting means and b. in which the rotary rake is disposed. 8. A portable lawn raking device according to claim I in which:

a. the rotary rake is mounted in bearings secured to the walls of the housing and b. the adjusting means includes c. a transverse shaft journalled in d. bearings secured to the frame and e. having arms extending outwardly therefrom and f. supporting stub shafts on which the front wheels are journalled and g. which are secured to the free ends of the arms.

* 1 l i t UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 5 Dated July 7 Inventor) Rudi G. Stanke It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 39, "#4" should read +1 Column 2, line 18, a should be inserted after "same"; line #7, "27" should read 21 In the drawing, Figure l, "61" should read 62 97 should identify the lower horizontal member of "frame 95" and 107 identifies the bearing at the end of "am 102".

Figure 2, 5h identifies the left arcuate frame member which is shown to the right of "belt 112", extending upwardly from frame "member 53", "55" is a cross frame member needing a lead line. Figure 5, il" just above numeral "#0" should read 4 and +l should identify the frame member between "4w "Ab" as shown.

Signed and sealed this 20th day of August 197 (SEAL) Attest:

MCCOY M. GIBSON, JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM P0-1D50 (10-69) USCOMM-DC 50370 P69 U S, GOVIRNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: I'll 0-8.6-S l, 

1. A portable lawn raking device comprising: a. a frame, b. wheels carried by said frame for supporting the frame for forward and rearward movement, c. a rotary rake carried by said frame, d. adjusting means for adjusting the distance of the rotary rake above the ground, e. a housing carried by said frame and comprising: f. a fixed bottom and g. side walls connected thereto and forming a compartment within the housing open at the top and at the rear end thereof, h. a closure for said housing having i. a rear wall structure and j. an upper wall structure rigidly connected to the rear wall structuRe, k. pivot means between said closure in proximity to the joinder of said rear and upper wall structures and said housing at the upper and rearward portions of the side walls of the same and guiding said upper wall structure for movement along said bottom to discharge the matter collected by said rake and deposited in said compartment outwardly through the open end of the housing, and l. means for rotating said rake.
 2. A portable lawn raking device according to claim 1 in which a. the bottom has a curved portion along which the forward edge of the top travels and b. the curved portion has an axis substantially coaxial with the axis of the pivot means.
 3. A portable lawn raking device according to claim 2 in which a. the rotary rake is located ahead of the housing and discharges over the upper edge of the curved portion of the bottom and into the compartment within the housing.
 4. A portable lawn raking device according to claim 3 in which: a. an arm extends upwardly from said top and to which b. hand operated means are connected to said arm for moving the arm forwardly and the top downwardly and rearwardly along said bottom.
 5. A portable lawn raking device according to claim 1 in which: a. the upper wall structure when the closure is in elevated position is disposed above the forward edge of the bottom to form an opening therebetween and through which the matter picked up by the rake is deposited into the compartment in the body.
 6. A portable lawn raking device according to the claim 1 in which: a. the frame has forwardly extending supporting means on which b. a motor for operating the rotary rake is mounted.
 7. A portable lawn raking device according to claim 6 in which: a. the body extends below the offset motor supporting means and b. in which the rotary rake is disposed.
 8. A portable lawn raking device according to claim 1 in which: a. the rotary rake is mounted in bearings secured to the walls of the housing and b. the adjusting means includes c. a transverse shaft journalled in d. bearings secured to the frame and e. having arms extending outwardly therefrom and f. supporting stub shafts on which the front wheels are journalled and g. which are secured to the free ends of the arms. 